August 11

1958 Elvis’ “Hard Headed Woman” becomes the first Rock ‘n’ Roll single to earn the RIAA designation of Gold Record.

1963 The Rolling Stones appear at the 3rd National Jazz Festival in Richmond, Surrey.

1966 The Beatles held a press conference at the Astor Towers Hotel in Chicago where John Lennon apologized for his remarks published in the London Evening Standard that said The Beatles were “more popular than Jesus now.” After US media brought the story to light, rallies were held all over the country to smash and burn Beatle records. Lennon said later that he was trying to say, “The way they (some fans) carry on, it’s like we’re more popular than Jesus Christ.”

1968 “Hey Jude” / “Revolution” becomes the first Beatles’ single to be released on their own Apple Records.

1969 Diana Ross introduces The Jackson 5 to the press at a Beverly Hills party.

1972 After five years of marriage, Elvis and Pricilla Presley file for divorce.

1984 Ray Parker Jr. had Billboard’s number one song with “Ghostbusters”. Huey Lewis would later launch a successful plagiarism suit, claiming the song was a rip-off of his “I Want a New Drug”.

1987 The Beatles’ album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” was named ‘The best album made during the last 20 years’ by Rolling Stone magazine.

1996 Mel Taylor, drummer for The Ventures, died of lung cancer. He was 62.